Construction oe valves eok



N. S. MANROSS. VALVE FOR RETARDING AND ARRESTING THE FLOW 0F GAS.

Patented Oct 4, 185,9.

ZMACY UNITED srai nsra rnnr n NEWTON S. MANROSS, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT.

CONSTRUCTION OF VALVES FOR RETARDING AND ARRESTING THE FLOW OF GASES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 25,658, dated October 4, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NEWTON S. MANRoss, of Bristol, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Valve for Stopping and Regulating Gas by Means of Quicksilver; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Of the drawings, Figure 1, is a perspective view, Fig. 2, a vertical, and Fig. 3 a horizontal section, the same letters referring to like parts in each.

The principle of the invention consists in causing the gas to pass through a recurved or V shaped tube or passage, the bottom or lowest part of the V being in communication with an external well or reservoir of quicksilver which is made to rise in the V, and close the passage, by lowering a loosely fitting plug into the well, or by other equiva lent pressure.

A,B, C,D,Fig. 2, represent the V shaped tube through which the gas is made to flow, in the direction of the arrows. Back of the plane of this section is the external well or reservoir E, filled with quicksilver up to the level of the dotted line L, M, and containing the loosely fitting plug F. An opening G, connects this well with the bottom of the V, so that when the quicksilver is displaced by lowering the plug F, it rises within the recurved tube, to the same height as in the well around the plug, viz. to the level of the dotted line O,thus effectually closing the passage. When the plug F, is again lifted, the quicksilver flows back through G, to the well, leaving the passage A, B, C, D, open. It is obvious that the quicksilver, having to overcome the pressure of the gas, will not rise to the same height in the arm toward B, as in that toward C, but will stop at a lower point represented by the dotted line N,-the difference between that and the level of the line 0, under the ordinary pressure of gas, being about one fourth of an inch. The inclined position of the arm .0, D, favors the action of the valve by preventing any portion of the quicksilver from being separated and carried forward before the gas, as might happen if that part of the passage were vertical.

To support the plug F, while the gas is flowing, a pin is inserted into it which plays in the T shaped slot at P, (Fig. 1.) While the plug is being lifted it is turned, either to the right or left, so as to lodge the pin in one of the shoulders of the slot. To shut oif the gas, it is only necessary to disengage the pin from the shoulder of the slot, when the weight of the plug carries it down to the bottom of the well.

In order to regulate the flow of gas, the passage is narrowed by a tapering shoulder at B, (Fig. 2.) A slender rod of iron furnished with a milled head at I passes by a fine thread through the screw plug H, and the india rubber collet K, and reaches through the quicksilver up to the tapering shoulder .at B, where it ends in a head J, larger than the smallest part of the passage. By turning this rod in or out the flow of gas may be increased or diminished at pleasure. As the collet and screw plug (K and H) are covered by the quicksilver, any leakage of gas by them is prevented.

To secure the quicksilver from being acted upon by the sulfureted hydrogen, or other impurities of the gas, and also to prevent the possible creeping of small portions of gas past it, a drop or two of oil, glycerin, or other lubricating substance may be placed upon the quicksilver within the tube.

The hollow screws at A, and D, are to receive the ends of the tube to which the valve is to be appliedthe form here represented being that suited to a horizontal tube. It is evident that the form can be so varied, without affecting the principle, as to be applicable to a vertical tube or one inclined at any given angle. The material may be cast or malleable iron, brass enameled or varnished within, hard rubber, glass, or porcelain, or any other material not acted on by quicksilver.

The valve depends for its action on the hydrostatic pressure of quicksilver and the perfect atomic contact which that pressure produces between the fluid metal and the sides of the tube.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The use of a recurved or V shaped tube,

or passage having its lower part connected with a well or reservoir, containing quicksilver which is made to rise within the tube by means of a plug or other equivalent pressure, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein specified.

2. I also claim the combination of such recurved tube, closed by quicksilver, with the regulating apparatus consisting of a tapering shoulder and movable rod, secured from L0 leakage by passing through the quicksilver.

NEWTON S. MANROSS.

Witnesses DAVID PHELPs, W. E. CLARK. 

